Man charged with trying to sell daughter for bail money

Police say a Kingsport man tried to sell his daughter, and now he's behind bars.

According to a press release from Kingsport police, Shawn Wayne Hughes asked his daughter's great-grandmother to loan him money to bond his girlfriend out of jail.

When she refused, police say Hughes called the grandmother three times and offered to sign over legal custody of his daughter for the $1,500 needed for bail money.

We're told police were present during those phone calls and listened to the conversations through speakerphone. Police say they instructed the grandmother to accept the offer, and that's when they say Hughes set up a time to meet and complete the transaction.

Police tell us they met Hughes at the determined location and arrested him.

Hughes is now charged with illegal payments in connection with placement of a child and drug possession; officers say he had five pills without a prescription when arrested.